Bank robber gets 99-month sentence
COEUR d'ALENE - A Coeur d'Alene man was sentenced Tuesday to 99 months in prison for bank robberies in two states within days of being released from prison - for bank robbery.
U.S. District Court Judge Edward J. Lodge increased the sentence of Ricky Allen Fisher, 35, from 87 to 99 months because Fisher committed the bank robberies - in Ontario, Ore., and Cottonwood, Idaho - within days of being released from prison. Lodge also ordered Fisher to pay restitution to each of the three banks he robbed. Fisher pleaded guilty to the charges on Dec. 8, 2014.
In his plea agreement, Fisher admitted to being released from federal prison on May 6, 2014. Fisher left the prison and took a bus to Idaho. Three days later, he was taken to Ontario, Ore., where he robbed a Chase Bank of $1,600.
"The defendant is a recidivist and violent man who, within three days of his release from the federal bureau of prisons for bank robbery, committed another bank robbery," a court document states.
Five days later, he entered US Bank in Ontario, Ore., demanded cash and left with $1,334.
On May 16, 2014, Fisher robbed the US Bank in Cottonwood and took $2,324.00. Fisher was driven to each bank by Jennifer Balfe, 19, who previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 27 months in prison.
"They proceeded to Lewiston, Idaho, (from Cottonwood) where they rented a motel room and partied, using the money from the robbery to gamble and buy drugs and alcohol," the court document states. "A concerned citizen contacted police after seeing news of the robberies. Soon after, Ms. Balfe and Mr. Fisher were arrested without incident."
This case was investigated by the FBI, Lewiston Police, Idaho State Police, Ontario Police, Cottonwood Police and the Idaho County Sheriff's Office.
Fisher was booked into the Kootenai County jail nine times as an adult from 1999 to 2006, for charges including grand and petit theft, burglary, cruelty to children, drugs and lewd conduct with a minor.
"His criminal history shows that the defendant has been in trouble with authority since he was 13," the court document states. "He is in need of treatment."